5 Fitness Myths That Need To Die… Now!
Like a bad smell, some fitness myths just seem to hang around….
Interesting fact about me; in the gym I used to work out of, I developed a ‘gassy’ nickname – ‘silent but deadly’, like a bad fart apparently. I decided to take it as a compliment! And before you say anything, it was purely related to my teaching technique and nothing else… honestly!
Anyway, more on our fitness myths:
1. You can perform certain exercises to target certain areas in your body
‘What exercises can I do get of this fat’
*points to mid-back area*
None, unfortunately. You can’t pick and choose where it comes off I’m afraid. Just like endless crunches won’t give you a 6 pack if you’re smashing a Domino’s every night. You need to address your diet to drop body fat. Quite simply, you need to eat less calories than you consume to drop body fat. Obviously, exercise helps with calorie output and there’s nothing better than lifting weights for this. On another note, be patient with this; it unfortunately won’t happen overnight!
2. Carbs make you fat
Not on their own, they don’t. Admittedly, if you massively overeat on carb heavy foods you may struggle to keep the weight off. But only because it’s likely to contribute to being over your calorie requirement. There are no single foods, or food groups, that inherently ‘make you fat’. On the topic of carb specific fitness myths, the holy grail is probably the ‘you shouldn’t eat carbs after 6pm’ – two huge myths rolled into 1! In this blog post I explain why you should actually eat carbs at night to help your fat loss: https://yourbodyfitness.co.uk/night-carbs/
3. Lifting weights makes you ‘bulky’
‘I just don’t want to get too bulky’ Probably the statement I hear most when suggesting lifting weights. And yes, typically it’s a female response. I understand the concerns, and bodybuilding becoming more mainstream over the years define hasn’t helped with this one. But the best way of putting it is a phrase I’ve seen quoted a few times that I really like: worrying about getting too bulky from lifting weights is like worrying about accidentally becoming a Formula 1 driver every time you get behind the wheel of your car.
4. If you’re not sore after a workout, it wasn’t an effective workout
‘What a waste of time that was, I’m not even sore’ Not necessarily a bad thing. I’m not for one second suggesting exercise is bad for you here; just the fact that KILLING yourself every session is. For eg, HIIT training has been shown to elevate levels of cortisol (stress hormone) in the body. Add in an already stressful life you likely lead and it could form a detrimental cocktail. Don’t make it harder than it needs to be: progress over perfection. Check out this awesome article on the effect HIIT has on your stress hormones: https://fitonapp.com/fitness/the-truth-behind-why-your-hiit-workouts-may-not-be-working/
5. Your diet HAS to be perfect to achieve results: no slip-ups!
‘Nothing but porridge and salads from Monday’. Let’s see how long that lasts. Whilst your intentions are admirable, an 80:20 approach is the best approach in my humble option. If you’re too restrictive, you’re never going to stick to it. All of a sudden you’re wanting what you can’t have, you’re meeting a pizza delivery guy in a back alley because god forbid all those people you told about your new, perfect diet see you failing, and all this on day 3. If your food is something you struggle with on a regular basis check out my blog post on 6 simple ways to reduce your calorie intake: https://yourbodyfitness.co.uk/reduce-your-calorie-intake/
What Next?
If you haven’t already grabbed your free copy of our 14-day body transformation meal plan you can get it here: CLICK HERE
Or..
Want more help with your weight loss journey? Join our free Facebook community group to join like-minded and supportive people just like you: CLICK HERE
Or..
Come and check us out on social media….